Now That I See You
by ThatOneGoodWriter
Summary: A fanfic based on the disney movie, Tangled. With more graphic themes, lots of violence, and an even better romance. Clace.
1. Chapter 1

_I am alone. I am eating my heart out._

Simon De Beauvoir

Love is a joke. Love isn't real. Love is for fools. That's what my father taught me.

And that's what is carved on my back, like a permanent reminder.

 **x**

This is the story of a lost princess. Now, let me remind you, she didn't even know she was a princess. She thought she was just a normal girl. And I guess I thought that too.

You see, a long time ago, something fell from the heavens and descended onto our earth. It was strange. Just a tiny, red rain drop. And when it struck the soil, a flower grew in its place. It was a crimson lily.

Believe it or not, we didn't care much about it. To us, it was just another plant.

So we didn't bother with the lily.

Until the queen became ill.

 **x**

The queen was everything to the kingdom. She was the sweetness and the tenderness the people needed in order to live. She was the warmth of the candle and the caress of a small hand.

When news of her sickness spread, all chaos broke loose. Soon, everybody wanted to find a cure. Thieves and murderers and rapists alike, I tell you. It was like the queen was our connection to life itself.

After endless attempts for a cure, an old man came forward. He was wrinkled and appeared ready to wither away. He spoke slowly and with intent. He talked of a flower. A red flower. That could heal any ailment, any affliction, any dire condition.

And because hope had briskly deteriorated, the royals listened to him and they went searching. In multitudes. In masses. They clabbered to any field and ripped out flowers, one by one.

And then they found the lily. Floating on a small pond. An impossibility.

Eaten by the queen, she was cured. And her blonde hair was marked by a single, red strand. We never questioned how the flower had wielded such power. We were just relieved that the gods had answered our prayers.

 **x**

And then the birth of a baby girl was declared.

And the festivities began and continued, a reckless time of beauty and joy and innocence and heart.

 **x**

Like a nightmare plagues a child, all the cheerfulness drained away from the kingdom. A woman by the name of Amatis stole the king and queen's baby.

Just like that, everything was gone.

 **x**

All searched for her. In every home and forest and castle and church.

And Amatis, well, she raised the girl as her own.

But the kingdom never forgot about her. Every year, on her birthday, thousands upon thousands of lanterns floated into the sky. In their illumination, they hoped that the lost princess would return.

 **x**

 _Short, I know. It's just a prologue. Thanks! Review._


	2. Chapter 2

_Oh, fuck, the longings and agonies of youth._

John Irving

She had killed so many, yet she still wasn't used to the sight of blood. She cowered and winced when she caught a glimpse of the crimson liquid, bubbling out of a child's mouth, or a man's neck, or a woman's breasts.

She was so used to it. So used to taking life.

Her mother had taught her that way. And she couldn't ever disagree with her mother.

 **x**

"Come here, my darling. Your hair is spotted with dirt and grime. Let me clean it for you." Her mother was sitting near the fireside, a brush in hand. She appeared as young as ever. Her dark brown hair was let down, in a flurry of curls. Her beady, black eyes glittered in the light, stark against her pale skin. Clarissa wondered how they were even related sometimes. The gods must have blessed them with contrasting features, she decided. She sauntered to the woman and settled between her short legs.

Her mother released a sigh. "You are so beautiful. So precious." Her words came out as soft murmurs and her fingers dug delicately into Clarissa's soft strands.

"How many did you kill today?"

Clarissa blinked, awakening from her state of numbness. She licked her lips, glad her mother was behind her. "Five."

The woman hummed. Long beats of silence followed before she chose to say, "I see."

When Clarissa's hair was in a thick braid, she stood up and walked to a window, where the sun was shining brilliantly over their secret land. "I expect more. Much more."

 **x**

"Are you going to town?" She asked curiously, watching as her mother readied a small wooden basket.

"Yes. We do need a few supplies here and there. Do you wish for me to bring you something back, my dear?" Amatis gave her a momentary glance. She was wearing her usual attire when entering places with other people. An ebony cloak and long, brown boots. The hood concealed most of her head and hair.

Clarissa wrung her hands together. "I-I... May you take me with you?" She added with haste, "Please?"

She was expecting anger, but her mother only sucked in a breath. "You can not." Her voice was firm, with no room for argument. "And you understand why, do you not?"

Clarissa swallowed the lump in her throat and rubbed her fingers fervently against her white knuckles. She didn't look at Amatis as she spoke, "I am too dangerous. I am a weapon with no handle."

Content with the answer, her mother dipped down the swirling stairwell, the cloth of her cloak flying outwards in large ripples.

The castle was hushed again.

 **x**

She went to the only place she could.

Even if it felt like claws were raking down her heart.

 **x**

She heard the footsteps before she saw the girl.

Often, Clarissa wished they didn't live in such a secluded area. In an old fortress surrounded by thick forests and a dark entryway most people didn't see or notice.

She hid behind the bark of a tree, steadying the hand that held her dagger. Before she moved, she peered helplessly at the sky. Then, she lunged forward and the scream that followed echoed in her ears.

She wished she were deaf.

 **x**

They had to keep their home a secret.

Or else.

Everyone would want to kill her.

 **x**

Amatis returned after two days.

Clarissa waited for her desperately, needing the presence of a human companion. She wept when her mother appeared, her arms grasping bags of items, most of them vegetables and fruits.

She just needed some company.

 **x**

They ate soup for supper. A mixture of small pieces of fish, broth, and carrots.

Clarissa swirled her spoon in the hot liquid. She didn't have the stomach to eat. She was hungry, but she just couldn't swallow anything. Her mind wouldn't allow her to.

Her mother noticed and sent her a frown from across their rectangular table. "What is the matter, Clarissa?" She rose slightly in her chair. "Is it the soup? Too hot? Perhaps I could've prepared it a bit warmer..."

Clarissa shook her head. She stretched her lips, forcing out a reassuring smile. "Nothing mother. Just thinking."

 **x**

She was atop the tall man in less than a second. He struggled beneath her, swearing and gasping. Grunting, she set his arms apart with her hands, making sure he couldn't escape her hold, and stared down at his face.

He was young. Perhaps her age. His brown hair was matted against his forehead with sweat, his eyebrows drawn in surprise and something else. He didn't look afraid. His green orbs observed her carefully, not revealing anything.

He spoke first, before she could strike him. "Who are you?"

She hadn't ever spoken to a person other than her mother. Everyone she had ever slaughtered protested and shouted, but not to her. Nobody had ever dared to say anything to her.

She didn't reply.

His chest was rising and falling beneath her. He continued, not waiting for her. "Will you kill me?"

She tore herself away from him.

And she ran to the safety of her castle.

 **x**

On her mattress that night, tears fell from her eyes and dripped onto her pillow. She silenced her whimpers with a hand over her mouth.

Her thoughts kept creeping back to the man she had run from.

She never scampered from a fight.

This was her first time.

She trembled.

 **x**

 _So yeah. You got a perspective of Clarissa. Yup, it's a lot different than Tangled, lol. But that's what I promised. Enjoy and review._


	3. Chapter 3

_I hope I haven't driven past my greatest moments. I hope there is something beautiful on the horizon that's just as impatient as I am. Something so eager, it wants to meet me halfway._

Rudy Francisco

 **x**

She woke up still shaken and afraid. It was only the sunlight that filtered through one of the castle's windows that assured her she wasn't dreaming. She rose from her bed and threw the sheets aside. "It was nothing..." She mumbled to herself, rubbing her upper arms. She wasn't cold; she was uncomfortable and tense. "Just a boy."

She heard her mother's voice from downstairs and set her shoulders back. No time for weakness now.

 **x**

Amatis was standing in front of a long mirror, brushing her hair. She occasionally moved her face from side to side, as if evaluating the changes in her facial appearance. Clarissa set her satchel down on the dining table noisily to get her attention.

Her mother scoffed. "Sometimes, I forget you are a child, Clarissa." She placed her brush down on the vanity and licked her lips slowly. "I am going on a lengthy journey." She wasn't asking for permission. She turned gracefully and strode towards her, as if floating. They were almost the same height and that didn't necessarily say much.

Amatis placed her palms on the shoulders of her daughter. Clarissa let out a soft and inaudible breath. There was something about being in the presence of someone she knew and loved that made her feel particularly safe. "How long?"

Her mother smiled. It almost looked sad. "Perhaps ten days. Maybe more."

Clarissa's eyebrows furrowed. Her chest tightened. She couldn't imagine being all alone for that period of time. Before she could protest or reason, Amatis snapped her fingers. "It will not be difficult. I simply need to secure our perimeters." She let go of her daughter and paced the living room, continuing, "You do want to keep me safe, my darling, don't you?"

"Of course." The answer was so simple. It came out effortlessly.

Amatis smiled. "Then you must trust me to do this. And I must trust you to keep this castle free of any harm."

Clarissa nodded. "Yes mother."

 **x**

Amatis placed a quick kiss on Clarissa's forehead. She took a small dagger with her and covered her body with her typical cloak.

When she disappeared, Clarissa fought the urge to crumble.

 **x**

She took her bow and arrows with her into the surrounding forest. Normally, her heart beats would be steady. This time, they were pumping wildly and erratic. _Where was the man she had seen? Would he return? Were there others here? Would they attack her? Use her like Amatis had said?_ She tightened her fingers around her bow. She had to focus. Thinking would only lead to distraction.

Clarissa sucked in a breath and trudged past trees and bushes. Hunting was the only thing she did where she was rewarded. When she painted, Amatis called it nonsense. She didn't even like purchasing paints from town for her. When she played the violin, Amatis listened for a few moments then grew impatient. She complained that it was too noisy; it would surely attract unwanted attention.

But hunting was different.

Amatis liked hunting. She admired Clarissa when she trained. She even brought countless weapons for her. Arrows and bows and knives and swords. Even spears. Amatis had even embraced her when she announced she had killed some children who were stepping onto their territory. Hunting gave her as much as she gave in.

 **x**

Normally, Jonathon wouldn't enter areas he wasn't accustomed to, but this time, he had the King's men after him and one of the soldiers was relentlessly swift on his feet. He found a cavern ahead and hoped the plant tendrils covering the entrance were simply a way to conceal the opening. He could hear horse hooves behind him, sharp and loud. Slowing to a stop, he swept a hand through the plants and shrubs, relieved that he was right.

He held his breath.

Waited.

 **x**

It didn't take long for Clarissa to kill a few rabbits and even a baby deer. She settled on taking the rabbits with her back to the castle. She'd skin them and cook them for supper.

It was only when she reached the castle that she found a man surveying the structure, his build intimidating. She forgot the fear she was supposed to feel about another human finding her home and dropped the dead rabbits to the grass. At the soft thud, he met her eyes abruptly.

She readied her bow and arrow. And drew closer to him.

 **x**

She didn't say anything. She knew if she spoke, her voice would crack and tremble. Her arrow was already drawn, targeting his chest.

He paused and didn't move. She was glad; it would be harder to strike down a moving creature. She took a few moments to quickly survey him. He was tall. Much taller than her. His hair was long and golden, the strands wild and rising with the air. His shirt was torn, but he looked unharmed. She presumed he was running from someone. One of his boots was gone and the other appeared ready to fall off.

He didn't speak when she was at least a foot away from him. She was close enough to catch his gaze. A luminous amber.

"A hunter..." He muttered, somewhat impressed. His hands were still pressed against his sides. He didn't appear afraid.

She swallowed. She was alone and Amatis wasn't here to provide her any support. She had to keep the castle safe. It was her duty. She had to make her mother proud. "What are you doing here?"

He narrowed his orbs. "I am not obligated to answer you."

She let go of the arrow.

 **x**

It pierced through the cloth of his side and ripped a fragment of his already grimed shirt. It fell away to the earth lightly.

She heard him curse.

Then he finally raised his arms up in surrender. "The King's men are after me. If you do not want them to flood your home, I advise you to give me temporary refuge." He was watching her curiously and she despised the fact that he wasn't afraid. He gave no signal that she was a threat to him.

Clarissa jerked her head to where she had seen him arrive. "How many?"

"Ten. Perhaps more."

She could take on most fighters, but ten was too many. Particularly if they were trained by the high King. If she took him to the castle, that meant exposing herself. He could always kill her. She bit the inside of her cheek, enough to taste blood.

It was only when she heard the keen snaps of twigs not far from where they stood that the man sent her a glance, as if telling her to decide.

"Go. We will enter through the back. Any sudden movements and I will not hesitate to release this arrow into your heart."

She swore she caught him smile.

 **x**

Her breaths were rapid as she followed him closely up the stairwell into their living room. He was quiet, but his shoulders were tense. It was the only way she realized he was not used to being the one targeted.

 _What if he kills you? What if he attacks you when you turn your back? Rapes you?_ It was her mother's voice, wise and careful. Clarissa took the final step towards the upper floor of the castle. The man was still, but she saw his head turning, surveying their surroundings.

She was sweating. Her arms were growing exhausted from her arrow stance. "How much longer?"

He whirled to face her and she almost released the arrow right then and there. He noticed and stiffened. "Feel free to place the bow and arrow down." His voice was deep and echoed in the room. When she didn't, he continued, "it will take a few more hours. Their horses will try to pick up my scent."

Before she could reply, he kneeled down on the rug and sat down. "What is a lovely, young girl like you hunting and killing out in the wild?"

Clarissa froze.

 **x**

 **[a/n]: Hey guys!**

 **I've moved into college so things have been a little messy. It's my first semester of freshman year so I'm still getting the ropes. I'm hoping to update more in the coming days because I'll likely stay up later with homework and what not.**

 **Also, I've got a boy who sits next to me in my music appreciation class. He glances at me when I'm drawing, but I'm too nervous to ever strike up a conversation with him. He's recently complimented me about my art and I was freaking flustered beyond belief.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to him. I hope more can blossom between us. Here's to the beginning of everything.**

 **Review.**


	4. Chapter 4

_And it's hard to hate someone once you understand them._

Lucy Christopher

 **x**

Amatis was the only human Clarissa trusted. The only human she spoke to and sometimes even shared her most personal desires. The closest thing she had to a mother.

Any other human she'd seen in her life, she'd killed.

 **x**

In front of her was a confident man. He was still observing her, waiting for her to do something. He had placed his hands behind his back, as if to tell her there was no way he could possibly escape. Most Clarissa had killed were fearful. They begged for their lives, faces pale and void of color.

His words repeated in her head even though minutes of silence had passed. _What is a lovely, young girl like you hunting and killing out in the wild?_

He made a clicking sound with his tongue and she whipped her bow upwards. Upon the sudden movement, he laughed. "Settle down, girl." A few locks of his hair slipped downwards. "You may want to let me go soon." His gaze drifted to the lone window overlooking the secluded land.

She managed to reply, "Why are they after you?"

He sighed and met her eyes from where he sat. Then his hand moved to his shirt and Clarissa instantly let her arrow fly. It didn't strike him, of course. Instead, he cursed and sent her a furious expression. "What are you doing?" She asked, her chest thudding violently.

His shoulders were tense. He was staring at her with a rage she couldn't decipher. She wanted to kill him right there and then, but he was interesting. He wasn't like the others. On top of that, he had enemies that could possibly expose her and Amatis' home. "Do not shoot again." He raised his left arm up in surrender and used his right hand to tug out something brilliant. It gleamed in the light.

Clarissa licked her lips. "What is that?"

The man scoffed. "The Queen's crown."

"The Queen?" She realized her voice had lost its firmness. She was only curious now.

He tilted his head. "Just what are you, girl?" He sounded perplexed.

It took a few moments of courage, but she stepped forward until she could feel his body heat radiating against her skin. His eyebrows drew closer. He hadn't expected her to be so near. She swallowed. Raised her arrow to his neck. He didn't flinch. Instead, he met her orbs. The golden flecks in his swirled endlessly. "If I kill you, the guards will come. If I let you go, the guards will still come."

He sucked in a breath. "Why are you so afraid of being discovered?" A thin layer of sweat covered his skin.

She didn't know how she could answer. His head moved slowly, around the castle. From the door to the stairwell to the paintings and curtains on the walls. Then Clarissa started, almost like there was something else beneath all of her layers. Something forcing its way to the surface.

"The lights."

He cleared his throat. "Pardon?"

"The lights. They are spread out in the sky. I've witnessed them from my window." She wondered belatedly if he thought she was crazy.

"The lanterns?" He straightened. His breath was hot against her waist. "For the princess?"

She ignored the questions she wanted to ask. If she revealed her confusion, he would certainly overpower her. "I want to see them." The metal of her arrowhead touched his skin and he shivered involuntarily. "Lead me there and I will give you your crown and spare your life."

 **x**

He was quiet for a long time.

Then he gave a very imperceptible nod.

 **x**

While he knelt, Clarissa took the crown and placed it in a small satchel around her shoulder. It was strangely heavy. What was it? What could someone do with something like that? In the satchel, she included a few daggers and coins she found underneath Amatis' mattress.

In the back of her head, she truly thought it was a dream. She couldn't possibly be leaving the home of her years. She was leaving Amatis. Disobeying her, more importantly.

No.

She would see the lights. Then she would return home, just in time for Amatis to never suspect a thing.

 **x**

Clarissa didn't bother to raise her bow. She had his crown; he had no reason to attack her. With a small pinch to her hip, she jerked her head upwards. "Let us go and move quickly."

 **x**

He was fast. He cut through the forest ferociously, ripping apart branches and shrubs in his way. He didn't glance back to see if she was behind him. It almost pleased her. She didn't need to have her capabilities questioned.

In the coming winds and the chaos of rustling plants, she felt a rush of guilt. She wished she could sit down somewhere and contemplate her decision. Was it worth it? She was leaving her home without Amatis' permission. She was betraying her trust. Breaking the bond they believed was unbreakable.

 _She will not find out. I will be alright. I'll be back before she knows it._ In her whirlwind of worries, she hadn't realized the man in front of her had come to a halt. She skidded and only managed to lightly graze his back. He raised a finger. "Quiet." He whispered.

 **x**

Then he turned, abrupt and without warning, and threw her body down to the earth.

 **x**

 **[a/n]: Hello, lovely readers! I am so glad to return and update some stories for you. Since it's winter break, I will try my best to update all the stories I have inspiration for.**

 **I will definitely work on a Christmas fic for you guys tomorrow! So be on the look-out. I hope you guys all had a great Christmas Eve with friends and family. I love you all. Please be safe and know that you are valuable to someone.**

 **Make sure to bake them cookies for Santa! :D**


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